


Charlie Claims He Could Fight A Ghost (And Other Movie Night Shenanigans)

by ruby_love



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Couch Cuddles, Friends to Lovers, Gentle Kissing, Idiots in Love, M/M, Neurodivergent Coded Characters, Pining, Recreational Drug Use, Scary Movies, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:20:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28939152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruby_love/pseuds/ruby_love
Summary: Charlie's movie choices usually have less than stellar results, but Mac is a little more than fine with how this one turned out.
Relationships: Charlie Kelly/Mac McDonald
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Charlie Claims He Could Fight A Ghost (And Other Movie Night Shenanigans)

Originally, weekly movie night had been a Mac and Charlie thing, as is true of most of the gang’s traditions. 

In high school, or maybe it was middle school, they’d started getting together once a week to get high and power through a movie marathon. They usually just ended up bickering over which movie to watch, and whether or not Charlie was hogging the snacks (he almost certainly was), and whether or not the movie was realistic.

Still though, it had all been in good fun, and once they’d met Dennis they had reluctantly agreed to let him in on it. By senior year, Dee had managed to nose her way in, and then finally Frank years down the road. Suddenly, it wasn’t a Mac and Charlie thing anymore, it was a gang thing.

And that was fine, it was cool, it was still fun. Dennis had witty commentary and Dee made good popcorn with cinnamon and shit and Frank would rent whatever they wanted to watch, so Mac didn’t mind too much that it wasn’t just the two of them anymore. But eventually, Frank got too busy with whatever the hell it is Frank does, and Dennis stopped showing up for movie night after North Dakota, and eventually Dee stopped letting them host it in her apartment. 

And so movie night was back to being a Mac and Charlie thing. 

Which brings us to this specific movie night, at Mac and Dennis’s apartment. Dennis was out, doing some scam.. It had been Charlie’s turn to pick the movie. He’d chosen The Conjuring. 

And now, here is the thing: Mac is not scared of ghosts and demons and all that stuff. He’s really not. It’s just horribly unfair that the ghosts get to have so much power. They can practically do whatever the hell they want, as long as it fucks over the person they’re haunting. 

So maybe, just maybe, Mac is a little bit scared of ghosts. But he’s not gonna tell anybody that, and especially not Charlie, because Charlie is a god damn champ when it comes to horror movies. And so, on that specific movie night, Mac had resigned himself to suffering in silence. 

“Oh, fucking hell!”

Well, maybe not complete silence. 

Charlie cackled, evilly. Well, maybe not evilly, because Charlie was too dumb to really be evil, but still. “Dude, you’re such a baby. It’s not even that scary.”

“I’m not scared!” Mac argued. “I was just commenting on the movie!”

“Bro, it’s okay if you’re scared. No shame in being a pussy.” Charlie teased, pushing closer into Mac’s personal space. He was always in his face, calling him names or laughing at his jokes, just being Charlie. Mac pretended to hate it a lot more than he actually did. 

Mac grumbled incoherently, snatching the brown paper bag full of glue from Charlie’s hands and taking a generous huff. “I already told you, bitch, I’m not scared. And stop hoarding the candy.” 

Charlie huffed, shoving the candy bowl into Mac’s hands. It was full of an assortment of the multiple boxes of candy they’d grabbed at the WaWa. Mac actually sifted through it, as was the intention of the candy bowl, but Charlie always just shoved handfuls into his mouth, not much minding the mixture of chocolate and artificial fruit flavoring and whatever else was in there.

They both got comfortable again, Charlie still leaning heavily into Mac’s space, almost pressed completely against his side. They were sharing a blanket, which Mac would have argued was totally gay if he had still been in the closet, but either way Charlie had called dibs on it immediately after getting there and it was the only blanket in the apartment that Mac could stand the texture of. Dennis was really into those thick wooly ones that scratched his skin and made his toes curl and his stomach lurch in a bad way. 

The movie kept playing on the screen, and Mac actually managed to get into it a bit. It was pretty well done, and the overall plot was decent. Mac subconsciously dug through the candy bowl as he watched, handing all the jelly beans he came across to Charlie, who hummed gratefully. The paper bag lay beside the couch, briefly forgotten. 

Mac was just starting to fully relax. He could feel Charlie’s body heat beside him, warming him slightly. Charlie was fidgeting, of course he was, because he’s Charlie and he’s always going a mile a minute. Mac didn’t mind. He did, however, very much mind only a moment later when a jumpscare ensued. 

“Shit!” He shouted, jumping away from the screen, knocking the bowl from his lap. His heart was hammering faster than it ever had probably, and Charlie was clearly having the time of his life. He was giggling beside Mac, tongue poking out between his teeth. 

“What the hell are you laughing at?” Mac demanded, shoving Charlie’s shoulder.

“Tell me again how you’re not scared at all?”

Mac puffed his chest out. “That wasn’t because I was scared. That was just me trying to see if you were scared. You know, because I suspected you were.”

“That’s bullshit.” Charlie said, still grinning wildly as he jabbed his finger into Mac’s chest. “You’re totally scared right now. Admit it.”

“I am not! Shut the fuck up.”

Charlie smiled even wider, if that was even possible. There was nothing that man loved more in life than tormenting Mac. He settled back into the couch beside Mac, refocusing his eyes on the screen. “Don’t worry, dude. I’d fight the ghost for you.”

“Bro, there’s no way you can fight a ghost.” Mac said, turning to look at the other man, who now looked dead serious.

“What? Yes, I could.”

“No way, dude. First of all, if anybody is fighting a ghost, it’s me. You can’t even fight. And second of all, you can’t fight a ghost because you can’t see them and shit.”

Charlie crossed his arms. “Well, I could still do it. And anyway, what do you mean I can’t fight? I can kick your ass.” 

“Charlie, you couldn’t beat me in a fight if I was tied to a chair and blindfolded.” 

Charlie lunged forward, knocking both of them off the couch and tackling Mac to the ground. Mac gasped, jumping into action as soon as his back had hit the floor. He flipped Charlie over, attempting to pin him down, but Charlie lurched forward and bit his forearm, causing him to lose his grip.

They wrestled on the floor for a bit, amongst spilled Skittles and gummy worms. Mac got the upper hand a couple of times, but ultimately, he ended up smushed against the floor, Charlie on top of him holding his wrists down on either side of his head. 

Charlie breathed heavily for a moment, candy-coated breath hot against Mac’s face. He smiled smugly down at him. “How’s that for not being able to fight?”

Mac cleared his throat, somewhat blindsided by Charlie’s close proximity. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get off of me, loser. You’re heavy.”

Charlie did, almost falling off of Mac, laying beside him. Mac took a moment to catch his own breath, and bury down the warm tingly feeling in his chest.

“You still couldn’t fight a ghost, man.”

Charlie shrugged. “Whatever. You’re just jealous because I have wicked cool ghost hunting skills and you can’t even fight me.”

Mac snorted. “Yeah, well I totally let you win.”

Charlie didn’t say anything, and after a minute or two of silence Mac turned onto his side to face him. Charlie crawled the tiniest inch closer, seemingly on instinct. Mac’s eyes darted down momentarily to his lips, without his brain’s permission.

Charlie had that stupid look on his face. The same one he’d had that one time back in high school, when they were seventeen and higher than high on cocaine they’d bought from some kid at school.

Charlie’s shirt collar had had some blood on it, from the trail dripping from his nose. His pupils had been huge, and he’d been talking so fast about something Mac had forgotten long ago, or maybe he was never listening in the first place. He’d made the exact same face he was making now, right before Mac had leaned forward and practically shoved his tongue down his throat. Charlie had pushed him off and then held him while he cried. 

Now, Mac moved even closer, until they were practically breathing the same air. He gulped. “Hey, dude?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember that time I kissed you in high school?”

Charlie paused for a moment. “Yeah.”

“If I tried again, would you push me away?”

The entire planet seemed to sit still on it’s axis.

Charlie shook his head.

With a deep breath, Mac leaned in, closing the miniscule gap between them and planting a kiss on Charlie’s lips, which were surprisingly soft. 

Earth started moving again in an instant, and the realization sunk in that Mac was kissing Charlie Kelly, his best friend since diapers. It was better than the first time when they were seventeen, and better than he had imagined. It was... it was everything.

Charlie pulled away when they both needed air. He rested his forehead against Mac’s, and a second later when Mac’s eyes fluttered back open he was met with those big, mesmerizing eyes. 

“That was gay.” Charlie whispered, and Mac snorted, rolling onto his back and laughing hysterically. 

“Oh my god.” Mac said, gasping slightly. “You’re totally right. That was so gay.”

Beside him, Charlie shifted. He sat up, reaching over Mac to swipe his pack of smokes off the coffee table, lighting a cigarette. 

Mac sat up, too. He watched Charlie quietly for a while, running over the events from only seconds ago in his head. “So, like, are you gay?”

Charlie hummed noncommittally, gesturing vaguely with the hand holding his cigarette.. “I dunno, dude. Who cares? I liked kissing you, if that’s what you’re asking.” 

Mac blushed (though he’d never admit it) and bit his lip. “I mean, yeah, I guess that is what I was asking.”

They went back to the comfortable silence as Charlie kept smoking, offering Mac a drag before putting it out against the coffee table. Mac knew Dennis would be mad about that later, but right now he couldn’t really be bothered to care. 

Charlie looked at him expectantly, and Mac realized that he’d been talking. “What did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to finish the movie.”

Mac looked back to the TV, where the movie was very much still playing, the glow from the screen the only light in the dark room. “Not really.”

Charlie nodded. He reached out, cupping Mac’s face gently with his hand. Mac melted into the touch. Charlie asked, “So do you mind if I kiss you again?”

Mac smiled. “Nope.” Charlie leaned forward, catching him in another kiss, and Mac repressed the urge to excitedly wave his hands around, opting instead to rest them on Charlie’s hips. 

By the time Dennis came home two hours later, the living room was still a mess, the lights still off and another movie playing. When he went to Mac’s room to yell at him about it, he found the two of them cuddled up in his bed, long asleep. Charlie was spooning Mac, face tucked into the back of his neck. The two idiots actually looked peaceful.

Of course, Dennis still woke them up to bitch at them about the mess, but still, they seemed happy.


End file.
